


rarely pure and never simple

by talkingtothesky



Category: Sherlock (TV), The Importance of Being Earnest - Wilde
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Dialogue, Episode Related, First Kiss, Fix-It, Hurt/Comfort, Love Confessions, M/M, Post-The Final Problem, Season/Series 04
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-16
Updated: 2017-01-16
Packaged: 2018-09-17 22:25:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 675
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9349001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/talkingtothesky/pseuds/talkingtothesky
Summary: John's voice in his ear is shaking. "Sherlock, there's something you need to know."





	

**Author's Note:**

> I didn't truly get my hopes up until John mentioned Oscar Wilde.

John's voice in his ear is shaking. "Sherlock, there's something you need to know."

 

Euros on the screen taunts him. "Emotional context."

 

"No." Sherlock refuses to be distracted any longer. He runs outside, finds the funny gravestones, begins to search among them.

 

The girl in the plane screams. Sherlock manages to keep his voice light and level. "Hush now, working."

 

John tries to get his attention again.

 

Sherlock tells him: "I'll be with you in a minute." He is very close to panic.

 

He applies the cipher, rearranges the words. "I am... lost... without... your love."

 

"Sherlock."

 

Sheer frustration. "Shut up, I'm busy."

 

A sob. "Please, just let me..."

 

John is crying. John is drowning. Sherlock's thoughts stutter to an agonizing halt.

 

John shakes his head, spits out the filthy water already encroaching up his nose. "What you said to Molly. What you made her say. It's true for me too. I love you. And I'm sorry. For everything. Goodbye, Sherlock."

 

"Stop it, there's no need for that. I will find you, just GIVE ME TIME." He yells.

 

Down in the well, John's head sinks below the level of the water.

 

In a small voice, Sherlock asks: "John?"

 

Dreadful silence. Sherlock's vision is blurry. He hits himself over the head with both hands. "Think!"

 

\---

 

John is wrapped in a blanket for shock. They're sitting side by side at the back of an ambulance, the doors wide open, their feet on solid ground.

 

Darkly, Sherlock orders: "Don't ever say goodbye to me again."

 

John huffs. "Pot? Kettle? Rooftop? Two years?"

 

"Two years in which I missed you every second." Sherlock admits, earnestly.

 

There's a pause as John processes that, and then: "Would you really have shot yourself?"

 

"Of course."

 

"To save me. And Mycroft."

 

"Yes." Sherlock meets his gaze head on, and John softens, just a little.

 

"Earlier, you referred to me as family."

 

Sherlock looks surprised. "Did I?"

 

"Yeah, you said to Mycroft-"

 

Sherlock waves a dismissive hand. "Irrelevant. Deleted it."

 

John gapes at him.

 

Sherlock smirks. "Joke." He remembers what he said.

 

John mutters. "Well, I wasn't."

 

Sherlock cocks his head. "Wasn't what."

 

There's a pressure building up in John. He bursts out: "Joking! In the well, I wasn't -"

 

Sherlock curves his fingers around John's wrist. "I know. It's okay, John. It really is. Mary made me promise I'd take care of you."

 

John's eyes narrow. "Right." Then he relaxes, rests his shoulder against Sherlock's.

 

Sherlock puts his arm across John's back, tucks the blanket tighter around him.

 

John's hand is in his own lap. He rubs his thumb against his wedding ring, blinks back tears. He sniffs and then lifts his head, makes an effort to be cheerful.

 

"So what does this mean for us now? Are we going flat hunting?"

 

"Not at all."

 

"....Sherlock, Baker Street was _blown up_ and _caught fire_."

 

Sherlock shrugs. "Wouldn't be the first time."

 

They grin at each other. John laughs, incredulously.

 

Sherlock watches him laugh quite closely, smiling helplessly despite himself.

 

John lifts his hand to Sherlock's cheek. Sherlock tips his head down, and they kiss. It's chaste, and comfortable, and the first of many more.

 

From a little distance away, there's a wolf whistle. People are clapping and cheering. Lestrade shouts: "At last!"

 

John curls into him, hides his face in Sherlock's collar. Sherlock rubs his neck and holds him close.

 

\---

 

Sherlock visits Mycroft at his private hospital. Mycroft has a broken leg. He will definitely need to walk with a cane for the foreseeable future, nothing psychosomatic about it.

 

Sherlock has brought flowers. He sets them down on the table with a flourish.

 

Mycroft raises his eyebrows. "Sherlock, you seem to be displaying signs of triviality." He comments, giving his best Lady Bracknell.

 

Sherlock sits in a chair beside the bed. "On the contrary, brother. I've finally found what matters most."

 

He smiles at John in the doorway, who has caught up to him from a little way behind. In his arms, Rosie is giggling, waving at Mycroft.

 

\---

 

"John, can we get a dog?"

**Author's Note:**

> from _The Importance of Being Earnest_ : "For heaven's sake, don't try to be cynical. It's perfectly easy to be cynical."


End file.
